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Shaping 6G’s Social Impact: Methodologies for Key Value Indicators at 6G4Society & TrialsNet Workshop

On 6 February 2025, 6G4Society and TrialsNet co-hosted a workshop “Objective and Subjective Approaches to Key Value Indicators – Sharing methodological approaches and evaluation instruments” bringing together SNS JU projects and external experts to explore objective and subjective approaches to Key Value Indicators (KVIs). The aim was to present methods that can be used to effectively measure social and sustainability values in 6G research. The workshop also attempted to dive into methodologies that go beyond traditional KPIs to capture these critical dimensions. Presenters highlighted specific methodologies that are being applied within the SNS projects, while external experts brought real-world examples and strategies to assess non-technical value outcomes.

Workshop Objectives

  • Gather examples of how social and sustainability values can be assessed and evaluated from projects and external experts.
  • Explore approaches that look beyond technical KPIs and consider non-technical evaluations of value.
  • Improve our understanding and capacity to address these value outcomes in practical terms, using existing resources.

Key Trends identified

A few key trends emerging from the presentations related to KVIs and how they should be approached were identified:

  • How to Develop and Measure KVIs Depends on Broader Aims: Before choosing an indicator or measure, clarify why the measurement is needed and what the project aims to achieve. Difficulty in measurement often stems from an unclear “why”.
  • Focus on Stakeholder Relevance: Indicators should be selected with stakeholders to ensure they reflect meaningful data. Collaboration helps prioritize issues that matter within the project’s specific context.
  • Understanding the Extent and Meaning of Change: Tracking change isn’t enough—both the magnitude (quantitative) and significance (qualitative) must be considered to assess real impact.
  • Assess Against Established Principles and How They Map onto Specific Concerns Related to a Domain: Use policies, regulations, and standards to understand value priorities. This helps rank concerns, manage trade-offs, and contextualize measurements.
  • Practicality and Feasibility of Data Collection: Practical constraints, accessibility, and stakeholder burden should shape data collection. Excessive data demands can reduce response quality.
  • Contextual Understanding: Indicators must align with the project’s focus and scope, ensuring measurement is tailored to specific environments and objectives.
  • Decision-Making: KVIs should guide decisions rather than measure social value for its own sake, ensuring social and environmental considerations influence outcomes.

In conclusion, the joint 6G4Society and TrialsNet workshop was a great success, sparking valuable discussions on Key Value Indicators, methodological approaches and evaluation instruments. 

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6G4SOCIETY project has received funding from the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101139070.  This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)

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